News and updates from BCSDN and the region
As civic space across Europe faces increasing pressure, understanding how EU law can be used to defend fundamental rights and civil society’s operating environment has become more crucial than ever. EU law provides important tools to protect fundamental rights and safeguard space for civil society, rooted in the EU’s founding values—human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality,
Read more →Hungary has become the first EU member state to ban and criminalize a Pride march, marking a significant escalation in its clampdown on civil liberties. Authorities not only prohibited the peaceful demonstration, but also launched investigations into organizers and deployed facial recognition technology to track and fine attendees—raising serious concerns about fundamental rights violations. The
Read more →In the context of the challenges faced by today’s EU democracies, the Polish Presidency of the Council of the EU proposed drafting to prepare a set of conclusions on strengthening EU democratic resilience. Despite broad support to the text in the General Affairs Council, the Ministers did not reach a consensus on the document. The
Read more →Health NGOs are facing new restrictions on the use of EU funds, as the European Commission moves to bar advocacy and lobbying activities from eligibility under its grants. The decision follows similar actions taken earlier against environmental groups and comes amid growing pressure from right-wing lawmakers demanding greater transparency in NGO funding. Several Brussels-based health
Read more →Skopje, May 10, 2025 – The Balkan Civil Society Development Network (BCSDN) released its latest policy brief, “The Missing Piece: Why Civic Space Must Be…
Read more →The Balkan Civil Society Development Network (BCSDN) took part in the 10th Western Balkans Civil Society Forum, organized in Budva on 13 and 14 May, by the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC). Bringing together representatives of civil society, social partners, EU institutions, and regional stakeholders, the Forum provided a platform to discuss the state
Read more →Serbia’s EU membership aspirations faced a setback as it remains excluded from membership projections until 2029. This skepticism arises from stalled reforms, political unrest, and Serbia’s alignment with Russia. Although Serbia shows technical readiness for Cluster 3 negotiations, EU officials doubt its commitment. Concerns include slow progress on media freedom, electoral reform, and alignment with
Read more →In a stark warning from his 2025 report, Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset has highlighted that Europe is facing a “perfect storm” of crises. These include ongoing wars, significant geopolitical shifts, a decline in democratic values, and the rise of nationalism. Berset stressed that these challenges seriously threaten the peace and stability that
Read more →A new draft law submitted to the Hungarian Parliament has raised concerns among civil society and media watchdogs. The proposal seeks to require organisations and media outlets receiving more than 20% of their funding from abroad to register as “foreign-funded,” a move critics fear could stigmatise independent voices and limit public trust. The law would
Read more →In response to the growing political tensions in Serbia, the European Union has issued a strong call for restraint and constructive dialogue. Concerns were raised regarding the initiation of criminal proceedings against the Rector of the University of Belgrade, as well as the recent blockade of the public broadcaster RTS. Emphasis was placed on the
Read more →BCSDN has opened applications for its first Civic Space Hackathon, set to take place in Skopje on 17–18 June 2025. Under the slogan “Innovate for Impact,” the event invites interdisciplinary teams from NGOs and academic institutions across the Western Balkans to develop bold, practical solutions to pressing civic space challenges, including disinformation, smear campaigns, and
Read more →On 29 April, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) issued an interim measure instructing the Serbian Government to prevent any future use of sonic devices for crowd control purposes. The ruling follows allegations of acoustic weapons being used during the March 15 protest in Belgrade, where participants reported panic, injuries, and severe physical and
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